Conspiracy Theorist Alex Jones Rallies For Frequent Guest Ron Paul

Though Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul has received scorn from some in the media, he can count on a loud -- and toxic -- supporter: radio host Alex Jones, one of the country's leading conspiracy theorists and promoters of the claim that 9-11 was an inside job.

The Alex Jones Show and Jones' website Infowars.com have turned into a virtual get out the vote organization for Paul's campaign. Jones has repeatedly urged followers to donate, volunteer and vote for Paul. Jones' attention isn't a one-way street: Paul has appeared on Jones' radio program at least thirteen times since the beginning of 2010 and said he relies on shows like Jones' to "get the truth out."

The radio host has declared that Obama's birth certificate is a fraud. Jones also wrote, produced and directed the DVD The Obama Deception, which purports to show that the "Obama phenomenon is a hoax carefully crafted by the captains of the New World Order. He is being pushed as savior in an attempt to con the American people into accepting global slavery."

Despite Jones' radical conspiracy theories, Paul has appeared on Jones' program since 1996. In 2007, Jones donated $1,000 to Paul's 2007 presidential campaign. New York magazine reported that Jones is a "longtime friend" of Paul and he "takes some credit for Paul's rise to prominence, calling his radio show 'part of the concrete slab that the Ron Paul rocket is fueling on.'"

After he interviewed Paul on March 4, 2010, Jones said he's "honored that I've been interviewing him since 1996." In a March 27 New Yorkprofile, Joe Hagan reported of the relationship between Jones and Paul:

Alex Jones has been broadcasting since the mid-nineties, when Ron Paul, during a run for Congress in 1996, became a frequent guest. Jones takes some credit for Paul's rise to prominence, calling his radio show "part of the concrete slab that the Ron Paul rocket is fueling on."

Paul doesn't embrace the full Jones package, of course. And Jones's views have grown to include conspiracy theories from the left as well--he's a crossover artist. "They blew it up, period!" he barks, speaking of the Twin Towers. "The hijackers were trained at U.S. military bases! They were part of drills! They nerve-gassed them onboard the aircraft! They flew the damn planes into the buildings!

"I mean, the point is, you start trying to go over the evidence of 9/11, it will make your mind melt down if you actually sat there with the endless documented facts," he continues.

During a June 28, 2011, interview, Jones asked Paul about the media pulling "dirty tricks" against him. Paul responded, in part, that he relies on people like Jones to "help get the truth out."

Endorsement / Praise

Alex Jones has repeatedly praised and backed Ron Paul's presidential bid on his radio show. Jones is also the publisher and director of Infowars.com, which has posted numerous pieces praising Paul's policy positions and explicitly encouraging readers to support his campaign.

In 2009, Jones started an effort to draft Paul to run for president again in 2012. Jones' Infowarsshop.com sold t-shirts with the words "Draft Ron Paul 2012" and pointing to Infowars.com.

During a January 21, 2011, interview, Jones told Paul he's "drafting you right here" and if he runs, "you've got my full support of our millions of listeners.":

JONES: I don't think you have any choice but to run for president. And, or bare minimum Senate. And it is your destiny, Congressman Ron Paul. You're almost forty years of standing up for liberty. And, so I'm drafting you right here and I know my listeners are. And if your health holds up -- you've taken care of yourself. Barring that, I just hope and pray, sir, that you do run for president. And I think the sooner you announce, the better, so we can get the money and the energy and the grassroots behind you. And I want you to know you've got my full support of our millions of listeners.

In a December 20, 2011, video, Jones told followers that Paul is "the only one who isn't a carbon taxing, open border promoting, Obama socialist healthcare loving globalist like Mitt Romney, Newt Gingrich, and others. Or for that matter Rick Perry."

On the day of the Iowa caucuses, Infowars.com posted articles encouraging readers to "vote for Ron Paul" in a Drudge Report poll and ran a video showing why "Ron Paul is the ONLY candidate who will follow and defend the Constitution. The other guys only say they will."

Fundraising

Infowars.com has implored readers "to donate as much as they can afford to Paul's campaign today." For example:

A December 8 Infowars.com article stated: "Now has never been a more important time to get behind Ron Paul's 2012 presidential campaign, and we encourage all our readers to donate either before or on the day of the next scheduled money bomb by visiting http://www.ronpaul2012.com/." The same message was sent to subscribers of Infowars' email newsletter on December 7.

A December 16 Infowars.com article asked readers "to donate as much as they can afford to Paul's campaign today. In just over two weeks 2011 will be over and all supporters will be eligible to give up to another $2,500 in 2012. Go to the Ron Paul 2012 website to donate now."

A December 16 Infowars.com article asked readers to "help make this year's Tea Party Day Moneybomb a success" and linked to a Ron Paul campaign donation page.

Jones has regularly fundraised for Paul while he's appeared on his show. For instance:

On April 5, 2011, Jones told Paul that the "day you announce we're going to try to setup a money bomb."

During a June 28, 2011, interview, Jones told Paul he has "a good chance" of becoming president and said, "we've got to supercharge your campaign." Jones later asked Paul, "what can they do to be part of this second American revolution, or the restoration of the Republic? Give us the orders from the headquarters. What do we do to supercharge a campaign that's already on fire?" Jones later asked, "And when's the next money bomb? And folks can give right now at RonPaul2012.com."

During an August 31, 2011, interview, Jones told his listeners to "donate at RonPaul2012.com, knock on doors, get involved in your party precincts, become a delegate. Ron Paul can win and will win if we get behind him."

On December 13, 2011, Jones reminded listeners to get active for Paul: "RonPaul2012.com. It is absolutely essential, obviously, everybody go out and get ready to try to be delegates, everybody hit the ground in Iowa. I know I have family who's actually gone to Iowa, so there is a massive grassroots operation. All the different ways people can get involved are at RonPaul2010.com." Jones later said that "now is the time for the maximum effort. And certainly, I'm glad you ran again, look at the incredible effect you and others have had since your last run four years ago. You've got a real shot if people believe and take action."

*Because a complete guest archive for The Alex Jones Show does not appear to exist online, Media Matters searched available resources such as Jones' YouTube page, Alex Jones websites (unofficial and official), and RonPaul.com (an unofficial supporter page).

On February 21, CNN will host a town hall on gun violence set to include a wide spectrum of people affected by the Parkland, FL, school shooting. The National Rifle Association was invited to participate and chose to send its national spokesperson, Dana Loesch, to join "students, parents and community members" at the event, breaking with its decision to not participate in a similar 2016 CNN town hall. The NRA’s decision to send Loesch, who is also a far-right conservative commentator with a long history of inflammatory rhetoric, to represent the organization in a town hall discussion about gun safety and legislation that includes survivors of a mass school shooting, clearly demonstrates the extremist, fringe views the NRA has embraced to advance its cause.